India is like the great act no one wants to follow—anything that comes after feels pale in comparison. Not as exhilarating, not as captivating, not as exciting. At least, that is how it has felt for me as I hesitantly eased back into routine after the most extraordinary adventure. Returning home required an adjustment. The…Continue Reading Sarees & Seis
Two weeks have passed since touching down at Auckland Airport. Returning to New Zealand after six weeks of immersion in India’s daily life has been an enormous reverse culture shock. I no longer take for granted what was once trivial. Living in a developing country has made me more aware of how fortunate I am…Continue Reading Reverse Culture Shock: From Mumbai Madness to Kiwi Calm
Every day, I found myself saying, “India is so colossal!” And it truly was. In six weeks, I felt like I had done it all—marvelling at the towering Taj Mahal in Agra, standing amongst the countless pilgrims in the ancient city of Varanasi, paragliding over the mesmerising mountains in Lonavala, and exploring both the enigmatic…Continue Reading A Colossal World
Mumbai is a colourful and boisterous city, a sensory overload best captured in its iconic markets filled with eager shoppers. The spices, flower garlands, glittering sarees, and stunning garments make walking through a market in Mumbai feel almost like a fever dream. As I stop to admire stone handbags adorned with pearls, hand-stitched decorative rugs,…Continue Reading Mumbai: City of Contrasts
In just one week, I’ll be back in New Zealand. Time has flown by, and I can’t wait to share what I’ve been up to. Spoiler alert – it includes a visit to the High Court of Bombay, camel riding in Rajasthan, and watching my dad umpire an international cricket match. Let’s get into it……Continue Reading One Month in India: Courtrooms, Camels & Cricket
The title is not an exaggeration! Arrival 🛬 Arriving here, I was expecting a city a bit busier than Auckland — noisier too. I was expecting the weather to be slightly warm (even though it is winter in Mumbai) and public transport to be easy to manoeuvre. But I was off target on so many…Continue Reading Keeping Pace with Mumbai’s Heartbeat
It’s beautiful how the stories we tell can come full circle. Recently, I spoke to my congregation about seeing the face of God in the least among us. To illustrate this point, I shared a story about a woman who receives this letter from God: “I will be coming over for dinner tonight. Please prepare…Continue Reading The Face of God in Mumbai
After leaving my heart in Aotearoa, my body and soul boarded a plane to begin a new adventure in Mumbai! With the feeling of nervousness, excitement, and perhaps dread for the unknown, nothing would have ever prepared me for what was in store. Noise, heat, and colour are only a few words to describe the…Continue Reading Big City, Bigger Dreams: Navigating the Mumbai Madness
The past few weeks in Mumbai have been amazing to say the least. It’s been great finding my bearings and slipping into the rhythm of this city. I’ve really welcomed this change in pace. Although I love the laid-back lifestyle in New Zealand, the constant hustle and bustle of this city has been exhilarating –…Continue Reading Settling into a New ‘Normal’ – Lessons, Reflections, Adventures
Taj time! We had our first opportunity to venture into the north of India with our weekend trip to Delhi and Agra. I was a bit nervous about this trip, because Delhi doesn’t quite have Mumbai’s safety reputation, but luckily we were able to make a solid safety net of sticking together and hiring a…Continue Reading Dharavi to Delhi